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Santa Clara County, CA June 8, 2010 Election
Measure I
School Parcel Tax
Alum Rock Union Elementary School District

Parcel Tax - 2/3 Approval Required

Pass: 8,173 / 74.40% Yes votes ...... 2,812 / 25.60% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Results as of Jun 23 2:21pm, 100.0% of Precincts Reporting (51/51)
Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Full Text

To protect local schools from budget cuts, provide stable funding that cannot be taken away by the State, and preserve quality education by maintaining reading, math and science programs; attracting and retaining qualified teachers and school counselors; keeping school libraries open; and maintaining small K-3 class sizes; shall Alum Rock Union Elementary School District increase its expiring parcel tax by $48.00 per parcel for 5 years, with annual adjustments for inflation, independent citizen oversight and no money for administrators' salaries?
YES
NO

Impartial Analysis from County Counsel
A school district, following notice and a public hearing, has authority to levy special taxes upon approval by two-thirds of the votes cast on the special tax proposal pursuant to section 4 of Article XIIIA of the California Constitution and sections 50075-50077, 50079, and 53722 of the California Government Code.

The Board of Trustees of the Alum Rock Union Elementary School District (Board) proposes extending for an additional 5 years an existing qualified special tax on each parcel in the district, and increasing that existing parcel tax by $48 per parcel, for a total of $160.16 per parcel, beginning July 1, 2010. If extended and increased, the tax would be subject to annual adjustments for inflation following the initial year. If this tax is not extended, it will expire this year. None of the money collected through this tax would be used for administrators' salaries.

The purpose of the tax proposed by Measure I is to: protect local schools from budget cuts; provide stable funding for the district that cannot be taken away by the state; preserve quality education by maintaining reading, math and science programs; retain qualified teachers and school counselors; keep school libraries open; and maintain small K-3 class sizes.

The proceeds of the tax would be deposited into a separate fund. These proceeds would be applied to the purposes identified above, and an annual written report would be made to the Board showing the amount of funds collected and expended from the proceeds of the tax, and the status of any projects, programs or purposes authorized to be funded. By law, this report must be filed on or after January 1st of each year. Additionally, if the special tax is approved, the Board would appoint an independent citizen oversight committee to perform duties to be determined by the Board at the time of appointment.

A "yes" vote on Measure I is a vote to extend and increase the qualified special tax on parcels within the district by $48 per parcel to a total of $160.16 per parcel as of July 1, 2010, adjusted annually for inflation, for a five-year period of time.

A "no" vote on Measure I is a vote not to extend and increase the qualified special tax on parcels within the district by $48 per parcel to a total of $160.16 per parcel as of July 1, 2010, adjusted annually for inflation, for a five-year period of time.

Miguel Marquez
Acting County Counsel
By: /s/ Susan Swain
Senior Lead Deputy County Counsel

  Official Information

Alum Rock Union Elementary School District
News and Analysis

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Arguments For Measure I
The State budget crisis threatens the quality of instruction in EVERY Alum Rock classroom. Protecting our local schools and quality of education now depends on the passage of Measure I.

In 2004, nearly 70% of local voters approved a school parcel tax measure that today provides much needed local funding for quality teachers, maintaining small class sizes, and supporting important educational programs. This stable source of funding has helped our neighborhood schools significantly improve student achievement and test scores over the past 5 years despite unpredictable and inadequate state funding.

Without approval of Measure I, this funding will expire in 2010-2011 and more than $3 million in additional cuts will be necessary to our neighborhood schools.

Measure I extends the current parcel tax for 5 years only, and increases it by $4 a month ($48.00 per year). Measure I MAINTAINS current programs; it does not establish new ones.

Specifically, Measure I will authorize funding to continue to:

  • Maintain reading math and science programs
  • Attract and retain quality teachers and school counselors
  • Keep school libraries open
  • Maintain small class sizes in Kindergarten through 3rd grade

Every penny will stay in Alum Rock schools to prevent classroom and instructional support cuts. By law, Measure I funds cannot be taken away by the State or spent on administrator salaries.

As with the current (expiring) parcel tax, if Measure I passes, an independent Citizens' Oversight Committee will monitor expenditures to ensure all funds are spent properly.

Preparing our children to succeed in the new global economy requires a sound education, including quality reading, math and science instruction. Measure I will help.

Measure I is supported by parents, teachers, businesses and civic leaders throughout our Alum Rock community.

Good schools help protect property values in a tough economy. Please VOTE YES on I.

/s/ J. Hernandez-Harrison
Language Arts Teacher, Sheppard Middle School
/s/ Leland Lowe
Parent, Realtor
/s/ Blanca Alvarado
57-Year Resident, Grandmother, Civic Leader
/s/ Brian E. Schmaedick
Principal, Goss Elementary School
/s/ Betty A. Howard
Alum Rock Business Owner

(No arguments against Measure I were submitted)

Full Text of Measure I
MAINTAINING READING, MATH AND SCIENCE PROGRAMS AND MAINTAINING SMALL CLASS SIZES; RETAINING QUALIFIED TEACHERS; KEEPING SCHOOL LIBRARIES OPEN

For the following purposes:

  • to protect local schools from budget cuts;

  • to provide stable funding for the District that cannot be taken away by the State:

  • to preserve quality education by maintaining reading, math and science programs;

  • retain qualified teachers and school counselors;

  • keeping school libraries open; and

  • maintaining small K-3 class sizes.

To protect local schools from budget cuts, provide stable funding that cannot be taken away by the State, and preserve quality education by maintaining reading, math and science programs; attracting and retaining qualified teachers and school counselors; keeping school libraries open; and maintaining small K-3 class sizes; shall Alum Rock Union Elementary School District increase its expiring parcel tax by $48.00 per parcel for 5 years, with annual adjustments for inflation, independent citizen oversight and no money for administrators' salaries?


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Created: August 20, 2010 21:42 PDT
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